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Massey LM, Penna S, Zahn E, Lawson D, Davis CM. Monitoring Green Sea Turtles in the San Gabriel River of Southern California. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030434. [PMID: 36766322 PMCID: PMC9913770 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective conservation of endangered species relies on the characterization of habitat use and tracking of long-term population trends, which can be especially challenging for marine species that migrate long distances and utilize a diversity of habitats throughout their lives. Since 2012, citizen science volunteers at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, have been monitoring an urban population of East Pacific green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) that resides near the mouth of the San Gabriel River (SGR) in Southern California, USA, in order to gain insights about how the population uses this area. Here, we collate and analyze nine years of citizen science data, including observed sightings collected across 10 observation stations. Our results confirm that green sea turtles are frequently present around warm water effluent from power plants, similar to research results reported for other locations in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Importantly, observational data also show notable green sea turtle activity around the outfalls for a small wetland habitat bordering the SGR, highlighting the importance of wetland ecosystems as a key habitat and foraging area for this threatened population. Finally, our results showcase the benefits of using citizen science to monitor sea turtle populations in easily accessible nearshore habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M. Massey
- West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Long Beach, CA 90802, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Shannon Penna
- West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Long Beach, CA 90802, USA
| | - Eric Zahn
- Tidal Influence, Long Beach, CA 90802, USA
| | - Dan Lawson
- West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Long Beach, CA 90802, USA
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Bedriñana-Romano L, Zarate PM, Hucke-Gaete R, Viddi FA, Buchan SJ, Cari I, Clavijo L, Bello R, Zerbini AN. Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10639. [PMID: 35739207 PMCID: PMC9226171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14465-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Humboldt Current Ecosystem (HCE) is one of the most productive marine ecosystems, sustaining one of the largest fishing industries in the world. Although several species of cetaceans are known to inhabit these productive waters, quantitative assessments of their abundance and distribution patterns are scarce and patchy. Here, we present the first abundance and distribution estimates for fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), southeast Pacific blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), and common dolphin (Delphinus spp.) in the entire Chilean portion of the HCE. Line transect surveys were conducted during 2016–2021 between 18° S and 41° S and up to ~ 200 km offshore, and data were analyzed using distance sampling methods. Group counts were modelled as a function of environmental variables using single step Bayesian Binomial N-mixture model (BNMM), which allows full uncertainty propagation between model components. By using spatially explicit predictions of cetacean densities and observed vessel densities in the HCE, we provide quantitative assessments on the relative probability of cetaceans encountering vessels (RPCEV). Dusky dolphin and fin whale showed the largest distribution overlap with industrial and artisanal fishery fleets. Our results highlight areas where effort should be prioritized to address the extant but unquantified negative interactions between vessels and cetaceans in Chilean HCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Bedriñana-Romano
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile. .,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile. .,Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio Bio, Chile.
| | - Patricia M Zarate
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile.,MigraMar, 2099 Westshore Rd, CA, 94923, Bodega Bay, USA
| | - Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio Bio, Chile
| | - Francisco A Viddi
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Susannah J Buchan
- Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio Bio, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Sur-Austral, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio, Chile.,Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas, Raúl Bitran 1305, 1700000, La Serena, Región del Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Ilia Cari
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ljubitza Clavijo
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Robert Bello
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Alexandre N Zerbini
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington & Marine Mammal Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center/NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, USA.,Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, 2468 Camp McKenzie Tr NW, Seabeck, WA, 98380, USA.,Instituto Aqualie, Av. Dr. Paulo Japiassú Coelho, 714, Sala 206, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36033-310, Brazil
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Álvarez-Varas R, Medrano C, Benítez HA, Guerrero F, León Miranda F, Vianna JA, González C, Véliz D. Genetics, Morphometrics and Health Characterization of Green Turtle Foraging Grounds in Mainland and Insular Chile. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:1473. [PMID: 35739811 PMCID: PMC9219523 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Two divergent genetic lineages have been described for the endangered green turtle in the Pacific Ocean, occurring sympatrically in some foraging grounds. Chile has seven known green turtle foraging grounds, hosting mainly juveniles of different lineages. Unfortunately, anthropic factors have led to the decline or disappearance of most foraging aggregations. We investigated age-class/sex structure, morphological variation, genetic diversity and structure, and health status of turtles from two mainland (Bahia Salado and Playa Chinchorro) and one insular (Easter Island) Chilean foraging grounds. Bahia Salado is composed of juveniles, and with Playa Chinchorro, exclusively harbors individuals of the north-central/eastern Pacific lineage, with Galapagos as the major genetic contributor. Conversely, Easter Island hosts juveniles and adults from both the eastern Pacific and French Polynesia. Morphological variation was found between lineages and foraging grounds, suggesting an underlying genetic component but also an environmental influence. Turtles from Easter Island, unlike Bahia Salado, exhibited injuries/alterations probably related to anthropic threats. Our findings point to establishing legal protection for mainland Chile's foraging grounds, and to ensure that the administrative plan for Easter Island's marine protected area maintains ecosystem health, turtle population viability, and related cultural and touristic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Álvarez-Varas
- Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands (ESMOI), Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile;
- Qarapara Tortugas Marinas Chile NGO, Santiago 7750000, Chile; (C.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Carol Medrano
- Qarapara Tortugas Marinas Chile NGO, Santiago 7750000, Chile; (C.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Hugo A. Benítez
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Morfometría Evolutiva, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3466706, Chile;
- Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad (CIRENYS), Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago 8370993, Chile
| | - Felipe Guerrero
- Qarapara Tortugas Marinas Chile NGO, Santiago 7750000, Chile; (C.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Fabiola León Miranda
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8940000, Chile; (F.L.M.); (J.A.V.)
| | - Juliana A. Vianna
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8940000, Chile; (F.L.M.); (J.A.V.)
- Millennium Institute Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Camila González
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo 1780000, Chile;
| | - David Véliz
- Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands (ESMOI), Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile;
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile
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